Everything Burns
by iship-love-otp
Summary: Batman and the Joker are forced to work together when supernatural forces clash in Gotham, determined to bring the city to it's knees. How will the foes manage to work together against all odds and what will be in store for them? Read and find out!
1. Fire in the night

**A/N: This would be the first chaptered fic I would ever write. :) The Joker gains some sort of superpowers through a mysterious tattoo appearing on his body. Shame he couldn't control them. Nothing belongs to me apart from the plot.**

The Joker woke up, eyes wide and staring into the ceiling.

He was on fire. It burned his entire body, a warm glow.

yet he felt no pain. A strange, tingling sense attacked his body and latched onto his soul. Joker laughed, as his dreams flashed before his eyes.

"What the fuck is happening?!" He yells, and the guard outside quickly snaps a "Shut up!" He would have to kill him later.

He wondered idly if Batman would miss him. Of course his Bats would miss him. After all, they do complete each other.

The flames licked at his skin. 'Back off', he thought, strapped down to the abomination Arkham called a bed. The fire faltered a bit, but stayed. Joker wondered if the fire would burn through the straps on him. It did not. The straps charred slightly, but did not budge. Shame.

Joker narrowed his eyes. "This is just bizarre, even for me." He grumbled. Those goddamn restrictions was only added when he managed to sneak out at night and poked an orderly's eye out. (They really should tone down the yelling and the horrified looks.)

The fire has faded away. The dim orange glow fluttering around his hands, and went out. The tingling senses left as well. The Joker felt drained. He fell asleep, and dreamt of fire.

Bruce woke up in the middle of the night, gasping with pain. His entire body felt burnt, even if it is proven to be fine later.

He drenched himself in cold water but the burns remain vividly in his mind.

He chooses to ignore it. It went away. His sense of foreboding did not.


	2. Markings

**A/N: A new chapter, and so fast, too! =D. The idea for the kaos tattoo comes from the late Heath Ledger himself, so yeah.**

The joker is bored. Unbearably, sickeningly bored. Cooped up in Arkham for the last three months does that to you. He fidgets in his seat, tuning out the young psychiatrist's voice. At least this one is not as annoying as the last. He might just let him live.

Scotty Johnson is a young psychiatrist. Blond haired, blue eyed, and wet behind his ears. Young and eager, he left a position offered to him in New York and applied to work at the infamous Arkham Asylum. Being from out of the city and having no connections with the Joker, he was soon handed his case, despite the Joker's national (and international) fame.

The Joker is an interesting case, Scotty mused. Dangerous, destructive, but oddly brilliant as well. Obviously narcissistic and obsessed with the idea of Batman. The scars twisted into an obscene smirk, face naked without his paint, dirty blond hair still tinged slightly green.

Scotty sighed. There may as well be no use talking to him today. The Joker ignored every word he said. He took his time, observing the man clad in the horrendous orange jumpsuit. Something caught his eyes.

"Joker!" The Joker immediately roused from his thought. Scowling, he glared at the doctor. He might just carve out his pretty blue eyes and keep them in a jar.

_"What." _Joker growled. He is angry.

"Y-Your arms." The inexperienced doctor shuddered. He was no idiot, and, not having a death wish, he stuttered.

The joker giggled and looks down upon his arms. He abruptly stopped giggling. A tattoo of a fire snakes across both his wrists, splitting of the ends to form small flowers. He turned his palms up. On each fingertip, marked a small dot of fire. The flames on his arms twisted and turned into the words 'kaos' on both arms. He stared.

"Y-You didn't have these before-" Scotty mumbled, still shocked. He never noticed these tattoos before! It was impossible not to notice, and yet he swears that he has never seen them before.

"I _know_." The Joker, too stunned to laugh, stared at his arms. Kaos. How fitting, yet his mind wondered to the incidents of last night. Could it be the fire?

He shook his head. Even this was too absurd for _him_. Little Scotty must be unable to wrap his mind to it, though he admits that the young doctor has his merits.

"I didn't have these until today." The Joker said. Scotty believes him.

They both stare at the swirling tattoos, truly silent for once. "Lets end this session early today." Joker agreed.

"Nice tats," an orderly remarked, as he was led out of the office by two of them. For once, there was no biting comeback. Sharing an uneasy look, the men led the Joker quietly back into his cell.

**A/N: So how was it? Is there any errors I can fix? Please tell, thank you! :D**


	3. Musings

Something felt wrong, Batman decided. A sinking feeling in his stomach. He did not have that feeling since the Joker has been incarcerated in Arkham.

He flew, observing the City. His City. Gotham. It was a quiet night, and despite his rounds, all he encountered was two robberies. Far too calm for Gotham. A feeling of decay hung in the air. The city felt sick and wrong and almost offensively normal.

He is bored. He has been bored ever since the Joker was thrown, rather unceremoniously into Arkham by him. He would even say he missed the man-no, Batman berated himself.

It has only been a short while ago that Rachel was killed, yet it felt like a lifetime ago. Rachel was family, the loving sister that he never had. Maybe he could have loved her more than a sister, but that was all in the past-

The Joker. The Joker killed Rachel, and yet he missed him. There is a hole in his heart, one that he doubted Rachel has left. He denied it fervently, but it is the truth.

Bruce sighed beneath the cowl, walking back to the cave. He did not remember when he decided that he would stop lying to himself, but it meant admitting that he missed the Joker. He begged Rachel and Harvey to forgive him, and in the back of his mind, he could almost hear them say that it's fine. Somehow, he felt reassured.

Bruce stripped of the Batsuit, thinking about the Joker. There is no doubt he hates the clown. Hate his laugh, his clothes, his jeers, but somewhere, in the depth of his mind, lurked a voice saying 'you complete-'

That Night, he dreamt of the Joker. Of fighting, chasing, of every hit and every laugh. Of clashing bodies and burning eyes. He woke up in the middle of the night.

No. He thought. He missed the chase and the thrill the Joker gave him. Nothing more. This is an accident. He told himself. He is still pumped up with adrenalin, he reasoned, forgetting about his previous boredom.

Bruce turned over, and went back to sleep.

**A/N: I want your opinion. Should this be a slash fic, or should I leave it as gen? Thank you!**


	4. And here, we, go!

**A/N:** And** the joker escapes! *gasp***

The flames returned again.

The Joker lies on the mattress, thinking. The strange tattoos decorating his arms has caused quite the commotion with the doctors of Arkham. They thought that he sneaked out of Arkham to get the tattoos, and sneaked back in.

He snorted. What idiots. Even Bruce Wayne took his sweet time glancing at his arms suspiciously. The Joker is sure that pretty boy Wayne don't even have two brain cells in his cranium to rub together.

The fire licked at the straps, and the charring becomes more and more evident. A dangerous grin formed on Joker's face. He has an escape plan. For the last few months he stole and collected whatever items possible. Pieces of metal and plastic fashioned into a knife, and a piece of string.

Now, if only this fire would burn hotter...

Bruce is worried. More worried than ever. The broad meeting at Arkham has not gone well. The employees argued over the latest 'problem.'

Apparently, the Joker has gotten a tattoo. He scoffed at the idea. It felt wrong. Seeing the markings in person, however, is different. The twist of the flames is hypnotising, and the word'Kaos' was oddly suiting.

Doctor Johnson swore that he did not see the tattoo before yesterday, and from the looks of it, he was correct. Despite the sheer impossibility of the situation, he had to admit that it appeared by itself.

Bruce turned, and stepped into his suit. He has work to do.

The Joker tossed and turned, finally ridding himself of the uncomfortable straps. Smirking, he grabbed his knife and string. The people at Arkham did not even think about checking the pads of the cell. He manages to pry one open and store his weapons. He hoped that they don't recognise their error.

The Joker skipped over to the guard by his cell.

"What are you-" the guard stammered. His throat is slit before he can say anything more.

'Shame.' The Joker thought. He would like more time to play with the guard, but He has something to do.

He walked erratically as he went down by the halls of the Asylum wearing the guard's clothes. None of the other guards noticed him. What imbeciles.

He skipped out he front gate of Arkham, the guard too busy having a smoke to notice him. And just like that, he is free.


	5. interlude

The Joker has escaped. The Joker has escaped.

The news headline repeated in his head like a grotesque mantra. Bruce sighed heavily as he and Alfred watched as the news anchor babbled about the murdered guard and his missing clothes. By now Joker would've gotten rid of the outfit.

Scotty's forehead collided with his desk again. The Joker, his first and most interesting patient, has escaped, and, as much as he hated to admit this, he needs a drink. Badly.

Fearing for his life, Scotty groaned and turned to face his next patient. He has a hunch that this would be a long day.

The Joker rubbed his hands together as he watched the news in one of his apartments in the Narrows. His spare suit and a few crates of weapons lied around the place, a small bed placed off to one corner and a bathroom off to the side. Home, sweet home.

He tuned out the news, opting to plan for a big comeback when something caught his attention

"...Another Arkham inmate, known to the inmates as 'Two-face' has escaped with former Doctor Jonathan Crane, known to the public as 'Scarecrow' during the panic of the Joker's escape..."The Joker giggled. Looks like things are finally getting interesting. Now where are those dastardly henchmen when you need them...?

Two face groaned as he plopped down onto the couch of Dr Crane's apartment. Really, a pretty little doctor shouldn't be living in the Narrows...

'Oh shut up' He mumbled to himself. Harvey is really too nice...

Jonathan exhaled as he stepped out of the shower into the dingy bathroom. Freedom has never felt so good, and yet, a voice in his head whispered, something felt wrong in this city, very bad indeed.

"Shut up scarecrow" Jonathan hissed as he dried his hair.


	6. Disguises

The sky grew dark and both the Batman and the Joker prowled the night. Batman, tense and alert, is on the lookout. Three escapes from Arkham set the entire city of Gotham on edge.

Joker walked down the seedy streets of the Narrows, ignoring the fearful glances of the junkies and prostitutes. He is looking forward to meeting the Batman again. It really has been three months...

Leaping from roof to roof, a flash of purple and green caught Batman's eyes. The Joker is here, he thought, free to terrorize Gotham and it's innocent citizens. But something was wrong. A faint orange glow surrounded Joker's arms. Where his tattoos are. Batman reminded himself as he set out to track the Joker.

Joker hissed as the flames appeared around his arms. He did not need any distractions now. Batman is definitely following him, that, uh, sneaky sneaky bat~

The fire stayed.

Batman stepped into the dim light of the broken street lamp. "Joker." He growled. His eyes glued to the Joker's hands, wondering why they are not burnt.

"Batsy.'

Batman's eyes narrowed. "Your hands are on fire." He stepped forward. Joker grinned. "Thank you for, uh, noticing Bats" He skipped towards Batman, "But I'm, ah, busy today, soo..."

The fire travelled up his arms, and onto his suit.

"Why are your hands on fire." Bruce asked. And why is he not getting burnt. He commented mentally.

"The truth is, bats, uh, I have no idea, you see..." Batman cuts the Joker off with a swift hand upon his neck. "Shut up."He rasped. "You are going back to Arkham."

"Arn'tchya interested in how I got the fire on my arms?" Joker mocked, his voice faking hurt.

Batman snarled, but he is interested. Questions race through his mind. How is the Joker not hurt by fire? Why is there fire on his arms, in the first place? Where did it come from?

"..So how about I show you my place and.." The Joker continued. Batman stared. This is an impossibly good chance to see the Joker's base of operations.

"Agreed."


	7. Calling truce

Batman watched with concealed interest at the Joker's apartment. Small and bare, it disguised itself as any struggling college student's apartment. The Joker retreated to the bathroom to 'put on a disguise'as he'd put it himself.

The Joker handed him some clothes to dress in, babbling about needing a drink. Curious about the situation with the fire, Batman agreed.

Dressed in a dark trench coat, Black shirt and jeans, Bruce hid his face with a scarf and his head with a large hat. Joker emerged, a baseball cap covering his hair and scars hidden with prosthetics, he looked disturbingly normal. Bruce disliked it immediately.

Pulling the cap over his face, Joker's tongue flicked over to where his scars were. Bruce finds it uncomfortable to watch.

"We are, uh going to a bar,_ Batsy_~ hope 't's not too, uh, conflicting for you, to be seen fraternizing with the, ah, enemy." Joker remarked.

"It's for the greater good." Bruce replied, "And how many times has the greater good been used as an _excuse_?" Bruce ignored the Joker's comment.

The men trudged alongside each other, arriving at a small, dingy bar. The name plate is faded into the night, but Bruce can make out the words 'Johnny's Bar &'and graffiti adorned the walls.

They made their way into the bar, walking around drunk, thuggish men and tired prostitutes, looking for customers to support themselves in this uncaring city.

* * *

Dr Johnson dragged his tired body as he plopped down in the bar. Hours of police questioning and interviews has left a strain on his mind. For the first time, he questioned his choice of moving to Gotham.

"Hey there, _beautiful_." The man said to him. Scotty did not acknowledge the man. "C'mon, darlin', lemme bye you a drink." Scotty is too tired to notice the white powder slipping into the beverage. Alcohol soothed his mind. To his better judgement, he drank up.

* * *

"How did you get these" Bruce pointed towards the markings. They twisted up the Joker's arms, a sick kind of beauty.

"Well, you see, bats, uh, I was awake one night in Arkham, and there was this fire..."

"Fire?" Batman asked, suspicious.

"Yes, fire." Joker replied. "This fire that appeared on my body, and for some reason, it didn't hurt, like the fire right now. It just kinda burned on me, and then it disappeared. I only noticed the tattoos when the shrink pointed it out to me, so, yeah."

"The fire can't hurt anyone?" Batman pushed. He did not want the Joker to acquire a new way of injuring anyone.

"Nope. Can't even burn through clothes." Joker replied. Bruce just stared.

* * *

Crane and two-face laid, sprawled out on Crane's bed. "Don't move!" The Scarecrow rasped. "Shuddup." Two face replied. Where is Harvey when you need him?

"We need to get some henchmen if this working together is going to work at all." Two face growled. Odd how all split personalities growl. Even Batman.

"Henchmen, right." And Crane is back again. "Why don't you get some twin henchmen, then. Fits with the whole 'two face'thing."Two Face smirked. "That would be an excellent idea, my good doctor."

**A/N: And the plot thickens! Tell me what do you think about this fic. :) Is there any way of improving it? Thank you!**


	8. Saving Scotty

"You've got to be kidding me."

Batman doubted a word the Joker said. Mysterious fire? A goddamn tattoo appearing out of nowhere?

"Look, Bats, you don't have to believe me, but this is what happened." Joker grumbled. The noise and chatter surrounding them grates on his nerves. He would have to blow this place up when he sort this out.

"This is impossible, Joker, and you know it." Batman pushed. The logical part of his brain agreed, but a small, nagging voice told his that this is Gotham, everything is possible. He ignored that voice.

"Well, that's all I know about this." The Joker mumbled. He licked his covered scars again. The fire faded away again. At least it would not get them any unwanted attention. He giggled. Since when did he not want any attention?

"How about a truce?" Bruce interrupted Joker's thoughts.

"Truce?""Yes, a truce." Bruce replied. Ignoring the Joker's obviously shell-shocked face, He continued "I try and figure this out. With your help. There is something wrong with Gotham."

The Joker's face split into a devilish grin. Batman suddenly noticed that the man has freckles. He berated himself for spacing out. His lack of scars rendering his face oddly empty. "Agreed. Shake on it?" Reluctantly, Batman shook his hand. What is he getting himself into? He asked internally. Well, it is too late for second thoughts. They shook hands.

* * *

The large, scarred man dragged a half-unconscious Scotty across the room. Some people notice but pretend to avert their eyes. They were all too used to this. The others were too drunk to notice.

Bruce glanced at the large man dragging the smaller man out. His eyes narrowed. He knew what this lead to. "Get up." He hissed at the Joker. "Look."

The Joker cast a glance at the two, eyes widening in surprise. "That's shrinky!" "Who?" Batman rasped. He needed to get to the men before anything worse happens. Batman protects every citizen in this city. "...my shrink in Arkham." "Come with me." Bruce replied, dragging the Joker with him.

"Fine, fine," Joker followed Bruce out of the bar.

"..Waa" Scotty is confused. A heavy feeling sunk into his mind. All he wants to do is sleep.

"No worries, baby, it's gonna feel _all good._" The heavyset man replied. A punch in the head took him out. Batman snarled.

Joker picked up an unconscious Scotty. "So, uh, Bats, where are we supposed to drop shrinky off?" "Hospital."Came the gruff reply. "They should take care of him from there." "Right-o, Batsy. Right-o." Batman is slightly disturbed by the Joker's compliance. The truce should not be that hard to maintain if the Joker stuck to the rules. But, he told himself. The Joker never stick to the rules.

"You will not kill anyone during the period of our truce." Batman commanded. "Ooh, demanding." Joker chuckled. "Agreed."

His entire body bursts into flame. The heat his Batman's face with such force that he staggered back. "I thought you said it was not harmful!" He yelled. "It's not hurting me!" Joker shouted back. Bruce stared. Joker remained unharmed in the mid'st of the flames. He reached out to touch the fire. An instant warmth spread from his fingertips to his body. It was an addictive feeling, hazing over his mind. Drowsiness took over his body. He felt impossibly relaxed "...Bats! Hey, get up!"

The Joker's voice pierced through the haze, and rational thought took over. Batman lept away from the man. The fire has disappeared again. He is on the ground, breathing heavily. "What is this!" "Hey there, bats, you just, uh, kneeled over, kay?" Bruce dragged himself up. "The fire. It has some...undesirable side effects." He cursed himself for revealing another potential weapon to the Joker.

"What side effects?" Joker seems puzzled. They were back to the apartment again. "It's like..." Bruce tried to find words to describe that feeling. "Alcohol." He said after a pause.

"That fire got you drunk?"Bruce felt a bout of irrational anger well up in his chest. The dim light in the room shone on the Batsuit. "It has...powers." The Joker just stared. "You just lost it, bats." He said and started laughing.

"Shut up!" Batman roared. Joker wheezed, but stopped. "There is something wrong with Gotham." He said from the bathroom, pulling on the Batsuit. Joker ripped the prosthetics off his face, revealing his scars.

"Oh Batty batsy!" He cried. "There is always something wrong with Gotham!"Batman ignored him, stepping out of the bathroom clad in the suit. "It has something to do with the fire." He told the Joker.

"Right, Batsy, so when are we meeting up next time~" Joker drawled. Against his better judgement, Batman tolld the Joker "Your place." Joker laughed.

**A/N: I am starting to realise how much my writing sucks. Damn.**


	9. A new danger

Ch9

"Twins."

Jonathan Crane stared. Two face, true to his word, has gotten twin henchmen.

Two men, tall and muscled stepped forward, identical grins adorns their faces. Messy brown hair stuck out from under the bowler hats. The only difference is the colour of suits they are wearing. One wore a gray suit and another wore a black suit.

"It was your idea."Two Face stated, his face impossibly smug. Jonathan glared. It's moments like these that he wished Harvey Dent was back. Too bad it's mostly Two Face talking now.

* * *

"What are you planning?" Batman asked, attempting to get his temper in check. It has been an hour since he sneaked the Joker into his laboratory. Tests on his blood sample, and general health yielded no results. He cannot afford to touch the fire again, due to the danger of falling under it's charms.

"Uh, Bats, in case you forget, I, uh, don't plan. Planning is for those...schemers." Joker's scars twists into a grin. Feeling frustrated, Batman continued. "There is nothing. Nothing wrong with your samples. No information of the tattoo designs, either." He could almost pull out his hair.

"I can tell that you are planning something." Batman gritted his teeth and looked the Joker in the eye. "Tell. Me."

Joker stared at him and laughed. "Oh-oh Batsy, you are soo precious!" He chortled. "But I'll tell ya." Batman listened intently. It isn't often that he would be privy to Joker's plans. Namely because that man does not make plans. At least not consciously, his mind reminded him.

"I, uh, have been wanting to, ah, get rid of a certain little cockroach." Joker licked his lips. "Ya see, you know Bruce Wayne, richt? That guy that does nothing apart from screwing fame whores and throwing his money around and-and that guy have the audacity to gawk at me in Arkham like some exotic pet! He barley has a brain cell in his brain!" Joker is fuming now.

"What are you planning to do?" Batman asked cautiously. He has a bad feeling about this.

"I'm gonna kill Bruce Wayne." The Joker stated in a matter-of-fact way, and Batman choked. The noise does not escape Joker's attention. "What, batsy?" He chortled. "Are you going ta stop me?"

"You will not kill anyone as long as we have a truce." Batman hated how natural it is to reference himself and the Joker as 'we.'"What?" The Joker asked. "You a Friend of Wayne's?"You have no idea, Batman mentally remarked.

* * *

The three figures gathered outside the ruined building. "Our mark has chosen." A woman remarked, her voice sultry and low.

"It's upon a wanted man. We shall bring Gotham to it's knees!" A man shouted, his voice high pitched and excited. The third man remains silent.

"What about the Batman?" A goon asked. The woman's eyes narrowed. "Batman?" She sneered. "The marked one is a criminal. Batman despises criminals. He surly would'nt help one."

"B-but" The woman took a step forward. "What but?" She inquired. The goon silenced himself. She smirked.

"A new beginning is sure to arrive!" The smaller man exclaimed, voice full of glee. The sun rises.


	10. So it begins

"Ow!" The Joker nurses a bruised arm, "what the hell is that for, bats!" The fire flared up around his arms.

Batman scowled at him. They both wore their disguises. He did not understand where this bout of anger came from. They are back at the Joker's apartment, and the T.V blared in the background.

* * *

In the glittering upper class part of Gotham, a young girl stood up. Her mother is too busy socialising with her group of friends to notice her opening the window. The cold wind blew, and her pink skirt fluttered. She stepped forward.

In the narrows, a small child looked up towards the sky. The dark and damp kitchen offered no comfort. He raised the kitchen knife.

In a suburban home, A group of friends stood together, their parent's chatter filled the background. The scene is almost too held hands. One of them had his hand in the water. Another has her hand in a socket. She flipped the switch. Screams filled the night.

* * *

"...A terrible tragedy has occurred in Gotham." The news anchor said. Batman and the Joker stopped their arguing and turned to the T.V. "This better not be something to do with you." Batman muttered.

"A group of children, three girls and two boys, killed themselves through electrocution in a suburban home. There is no clear motives and the GCPD is busy investigating. At the same time, the daughter of socialite Penny Whittney threw herself out of a thirty-story window. A suicide of a young boy in the narrows was also reported shortly after..."

The news anchor rambled on as Batman glanced at the Joker. There was a possibility that he did this, yet the Joker has been with him the entire time this must have occurred.

On the television, commissioner Gordon answers the reporter's questions "It is extremely unlikely that the terrorist known as the Joker committed this atrocity. As of now, this is ruled as a suicide. The GCPD would continue to inform the public of any new information..." Gordon went on. "Parents of any young children please immediately locate their directions. Anyone below the age of sixteen please contact our helpline. Please understand that you are not alone, the number is.."

The Joker stared at the T.V, a frown on his usually cheerful face. He licked his lips. "You think I did this, bats?" He asked.

"No." Joker seemed surprised at the response. "You were with me the whole time. If you did this, I would have known." Batman knew this was true, but he cant shake the feeling that this has something to do with their situation.

"I don't do surprises." Joker remarked in the silence, the television silenced. "Besides, I would have, uh, left my calling card. Everywhere. And make sure Gotham knew what would happen before it happens."

Bruce agreed. This came too sudden. Too unlike the Joker's usual style.

"If we rule you out, who could it be?" He asked. Joker did not reply.

"This person," Bruce continued "or persons, wants to shock the city by attacking it's most vulnerable citizens." His voice filled with disgust. "He or she wants to undermine the city. The only question is how."

"Agreed." The Joker replied. "We, are gonna find this out. How dare they pin me down for something I didn't do!" He is fuming. Batman agreed with him, as much as he loved to deny it. Nobody likes being falsely accused, even the Joker. It felt strange to associated the Joker with anything human.

"I'll help." The words surprised himself as much as it surprised the Joker. They looked at each other, and nodded.

* * *

"Look like it has begun." A man said in a gruff voice. The two others following him in the large basement. The woman smiled. "Soon we would bring Gotham to it's knees!" The third man said, strangely giddy. Their goons repressed a shudder. Any sign of fear would mean death.

* * *

Two Face stared at the T.V which is blaring out the news of the deaths. "Looks like we would have to postpone our attacks." Harvey said, his good eye focused on the machine.

"Why?" Scarecrow inquired. He is itching to try his new toxin. "This." Harvey pointed at the TV. "The GCPD would be too obsessed over finding out who killed them." He seems angry. "They are stealing my comeback."

"Jesus H Christ!" Scarecrow cried. "I'm not dealing with this."

Jonathan glared at Two Face. "We need funds. You and I are going to rob a bank whether you like it or not." Two Face brooded.

"We want a big comeback. We want Gotham to know that we are not dead. We are going after them." He pointed his finger at the TV. "Whoever did this better watch out." Jonathan sighed. "Fine. We are going after them. But we rob the Gotham city bank first. We need money."

They begin to plan.

* * *

"Do you have any idea who could've done this." Gordon asked Batman. He is used to the man showing up unknowingly. "No. But I can be sure to tell you that it was not the Joker."

"How are you so sure? Gordon asked. He learned long ago to never trust the Joker. Batman hesitated. "He is with me for the last few days." He immediately regretted telling Gordon. The man is about to have a heart attack.

"And he is here right now!" The Joker stuck his face right up against Gordon's grinning wildly.

"You-you" Gordon stuttered out of shock. He stepped backwards, hand reaching for his gun.  
"Don't." Batman stepped in. "He is working with me until a problem is solved. We need your help." Gordon stared, his mouth hanging open.

"You'll catch flies like that, Gordy!" Joker is still grinning.

"I think" Batman interrupted. "That this has something to do with the suicides." "What!" Joker and Gordon said together.

"I thought this was about the fire!" Joker is not pleased. "This is too suspicious. Both the fire and the killings appeared at around the same time. They could be-should be related."

Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose. There is no use refusing. "I need an explanation."

**A/N: So I realised the Joker I'm writing is like a mix up between comicverse and nolanverse. Should I change anything?**


	11. Death of the damned

"That is impossible." The three men are currently sitting in Joker's apartment. Frankly, Gordon is surprised he did not have a giant underground lair.

"Exactly what Batsy said, but here we are." Joker scooted next to Gordon. He shuffled away. The couch is only that big. He licked his lips. "I would like to not believe it, but, it is all we have." The Joker rubbed his arms.

"How exactly is this related to the deaths?" Gordon asked. The case hit close to home. It could have easily been one of his children dead.

"I have no idea." Batman brooded in the corner. Joker stifled a giggle.

"Joker did not do it, but it is related to him." He shot down Joker's protests. "This is too much for a coincidence." Joker stormed off to the kitchen

A loud crash in the kitchen area grabbed the men's attention. "Ow ow ow!" The Joker jumped around. A bloody knife lies on the floor and the large gash on his arm bled. The fire engulfed the wound.

"What. The. Hell." Gordon stated. He reached over to touch the flames before Batman could stop him. Relief flooded Gordon's senses. He had not felt so relaxed since God knows when. His head cleared and the implications hit him as soon as Batman grabbed him out of the fire.

"This fire," Gordon gasped. "It's not normal." He fell over. Batman nodded in agreement and dragged an unconscious Gordon back to the couch.

"Can anybody help me patch up my arm?" Joker yelled from the kitchen. Batman resisted telling him to do it himself. "We can't touch the fire." He explained to the Joker and he pouted as he bandaged his arm up. The fire flickered.

* * *

One by one, the homeless in the narrows fell. Heads smashing against the walls, jumping into the docks, stabbing themselves with stolen knifes. Whichever way possible. It has a ripple effect. In the very center, is the small building a man called the Joker calls home. The ripple reached a hundred feet. Fourty three died, thirty men and thirteen women

Of course the owner, or rather the three owners were not there. One would laugh while two would have tried to stop them. But they were all cooped up in a cave, glaring and shoving while attempting to research. Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. A few within the circle was spared. Most outside of the circle was spared.

Nobody cared. Nobody bothered to look at the bodies because they were nobodies. Some pitied them. Others hated them. Nothing happened until someone, bothered by the stench of copper filling the air of the narrows. Police sirens filled the night sky, and all hell breaks loose.

"The current body count is twenty five dead, ten women and fifteen men, and the body count is expected to rise..."

* * *

Gordon watches the news, slack jawed in horror. Thirty two. The body count adds up to thirty two, counting the children. Batman's mouth is set in a hard line, his fists clenched.

"The homeless deaths are speculated to be suicides, forming a circle around a set of abandoned apartment blocks in the narrows." The TV shows the set of apartment blocks the Joker lived in.

"It is physically impossible for the Joker to have done anything." Gordon explained, as their eyes cast towards the man's sleeping form.

"Wake him up." Batman needs answers. Gordon shook the Joker as Bruce gritted his teeth and walked closer, ready to do anything if the man attacks.

"...mmf stop..." He mumbled and turned over. Gordon shook him again. "Mister..." Joker mumbled again. Batman and Gordon exchanged a glance. Gordon turned back to the Joker and whispered "What is your name?"


	12. Dreams and revelations

"J..Joker.." Gordon looks frustrated. Batman reached over to stop him. "We should take this chance to learn more about him." Gordon explained. Batman nodded.

"I gave me my name." The Joker said. He is still asleep. "Where are you from?" Gordon breathed. This has gone impossibly well. "Dunno." The Joker replied. "A cave." Batman frowned.

"Why a cave." Gordon persuaded, the answers could be vital to knowing who the Joker is. Batman and Gordon could n't help but be curious. "Dunno. See the sky." Gordon makes a noise of approve ment. "They say I dunno how to read. How to talk. Showed 'em." The Joker continued before either of them could interrupt.

"Can do it now." The Joker choked on the words and flipped over. "Can do what now?" Gordon asked. "Can show them. Show them what they are." He started crying. At first it was not noticeable, but the men saw the tears slide down his face. "STOP!" He is screaming, and Batman is shaking the Joker, attempting to wake the man up.

"Arrêtez-moi vous toucher pervers! Lâche-moi!" The Joker shouted in his sleep. Gordon stared. "French." Batman said from the corner. "He is speaking french." "Do you understand it?" Gordon asked. "No." Both men remained silent.

" Je veux juste être libre ..." The Joker mumbled. He started shaking. Batman reached out to touch him, but his hand is swatted away.

"Tout est si froid. Je ne peux pas le supporter. S'il vous plaît laissez-moi voir le ciel! Vous ne pouvez pas m'enfermer à nouveau! Pas après me laisser aller pendant si longtemps! S'il vous plaît!"

With a scream, the Joker bolted upright. Groaning slightly, he brought his hand up to his face. "Wha jus 'appened?" He asked. "Ma head 'urts."

Gordon could n't resist aking. "Are you French?" The Joker gave him a look that said are you kidding me? "No. Why would you think that?" He narrowed his eyes and grinned, baring his teeth.

"You sleep talk. In French." Batman interrupted, shooting the Joker a glare. The Joker frowned. "I've never been to France." He told them.

"How can you speak french, then?" Gordon inquired. "Don't remember." Joker replied. "Don't remember what?" "Sleep talking." Gordon sighed and The Joker grumbled something about nosy detectives in the background. "Do you remember your dreams?" Gordon asked. There was no reply.

"This is not a problem right now." Batman's gruff voice broke the fight. "The police has counted a total of fourty three homeless deaths, around the perimeter of the abandoned apartment complex, which I recall is where your house is located at." The last few words aimed at the Joker's direction. He laughed.

"Oh that is just precious, Bats~" Batman is suddenly reminded of how much of a killer the Joker still is. Spending time with the madman is not a good idea. It has clouded his judgement about who this man is and what he could do.

* * *

Two Face and scarecrow drove away from the bank, their hostages glad that they have survived. At least with them there is a higher chance of survival. The news stations abandons the reports on the homeless deaths and latches onto the return of Harvey Dent, or 'Two Face' as he now calls himself. Cameras crowds in onto the bank manager, still blabbering from the fear toxin.

Gordon's face is set in stone as he closes in on the crime scene, desperate to get the paparazzi away from the victims. Leeches, he thought viciously. These people are all leeches, attempting to get something, a story, fame perhaps, from the victims. A well dressed man pushes past him to scream his story, his eyes wide with excitement and the prospect of having his face on TV. Leeches.

Two Face and scarecrow dropped the money off at one of their warehouses. Scarecrow seems displease at the fact that most of his toxin is destroyed. At least he has the money to buy more chemicals now. The formula is destroyed as well, but he has it memorised by heart. Jonathan stirred at the idea of more research into the effects of fear. This is, after all, his number one motive.

"Are you even listening to me?" Harvey asked in the background. Jonathan spun back around. "Yes?" He asked, unfazed. "What should we do now? The two faced man-Ha! Asked. "We wait." Jonathan smirked. "And you will get to see how fear affects man." Scarecrow erupts into a fit of giggles.

"You sound like that damned clown." Two face glared. Jonathan stifles his laughs. "We go after the people who 'stole your thunder' happy?"

"Very." Harvey replied.

* * *

Scotty stared at the TV from his home. This is just getting worse and worse. Now word has gone out that the former DA, Harvey dent is now alive and the Joker is still at large. He is mercilessly interrogated by his superiors about the Joker escape, and the city is on edge. Not to mention scarecrow's escape as well.

He is living in a nightmare. Scotty sighed again, not noticing a lithe figure staring at him from the shadows.

* * *

"C' mon, now batsy! Cheer up!" The Joker crooned at Batman. Batman turned away. "Take that stick outta your ass and have some fun, wouldn't cha?" Batman turned around abruptly, cape shifting with the movement. They were in an abandoned warehouse, unfortunately not one of the Joker's, judging by the bareness of it.

"I will take a stick and shove it up your ass." Batman growls at the Joker. He immediately regrets it, as the painted man bats his eyelashes at him and purrs "You're welcome to try" at him. Why does that man need such long eyelashes, anyways?

Bruce cursed himself for even thinking of the Joker's eyelashes. Bad thoughts, he told himself. Bad thoughts. He glares at the Joker, only to find the man staring at him.

Suddenly furious, Batman reached out and grabbed the Joker by his shirt collar. His words are immediately cut off by the man's lips meeting his own. They stayed in this position for seconds that felt like hours, as Batman tries to summon up disgust that he cannot feel.

The moment ended quickly as Batman slammed Joker against the wall of the warehouse. The man let out a quick laugh before his head met the concrete, and slipped into unconsciousness. Batman ignored his guilt as he reached out towards Joker. The fire circling his arms traveled up across his back and his head, and yet nothing burns. A small nugget of suspicion settled at the back of Batman's mind.

**A/N: This chapter and future chapters would contain some slash. It would be quite small compared to the plot, so yeah. **

**All translations are from Google translate. **

**Stop touching me you pervert! Let me go!**

**I just want to be free ...**

**and**

**Everything is so cold. I can not stand it. Please let me see the sky! You can not lock me up again! Not let me go after so long! Please!**


	13. Justice

Ch13

It was the police this time. Gordon sat at his desk in a daze. He wished he had his gun here when one of his men, a rookie, pulled out a gun and shot himself through his head. The loud crack cleared Jim's head and he stood up. The other police stared at the pool of blood and brains on the floor. The office erupted into chaos.

A few cracks were heard from all around the buildings. Some has jumped head first off off the roof and died from the impact. Others pulled out revolvers against their heads whole those around them still thinking clearly attempting to stop them. Gordon was among them, and he hoped that Batman would come but it is broad daylight and the Bat does not come out during the day.

An officer was fond with his head in an overflowing sink. All in all, it was a terrible day. Hearing the gunshots and screams, media vans clotted the exit of the building, shouting questions and snapping photos. Shouting families also pushed at the crowd, desperate to confirm that their family member is alive.

Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose, and stood up. The media leeches screams his name as they bellowed questions. "This is a terrible tragedy..." He began "The GCPD offers grieving families their consolidations." He turned around and ignored the shouting from behind him. He felt tired, drained. How could this have happened?

* * *

Bruce Wayne sat, frozen in his chair as the entire broad stares at the big screen TV in the room, tuned to the news. The people in Gotham are calling this the police suicides. Gordon appeared on the screen to make a statement, but Bruce cannot hear anything. The death toll is rising, with around twenty one confirmed deaths so far. Seventy one, counting all the other suicides.

The deaths were all confirmed suicides, so the Joker could not have done anything. He is still lying on a bed with a bandaged head in the cave, he thought to himself. A strange thought enters his mind. What if the fire is causing these deaths? Bruce shook his head. What a ridiculous notion.

'I think that this meeting should be rescheduled," the voice of a broad executive piped up. The other broad members nodded in agreement, and Lucius cast a knowing glance at Bruce, and patted him on the back. Bruce headed back to the manor, hoping that the Joker did not wreck any havoc. At least he informed Alfred beforehand, just in case anything went wrong. The older man grudgingly agreed to let the Joker stay, and to stay out of the way. Bruce didn't tell him about the Joker wanting to kill Bruce Wayne.

Batman reached over and shook the Joker awake. The tape told him that he woke up sometime in the afternoon, but went back to sleep soon after. They are now spending as much time in the Batcave as they are in Joker's apartment.

"W-waa d'you waant, bat_sy_~" The Joker groaned. Batman tried not to remember the spark of electricity he felt when the Joker kissed him last night, the taste of sweetness and blood and greasepaint dancing in his mouth. He cleared his mind. There are more important matters to tend to.

"Wake up." He told Joker before turning on the large TV in the room. The news showed a young reporter harassing a haggered Gordon. They watched in silence for some time before the Joker spoke up.

"Whoever d_id _this is gonna, heh, **pay**~" Batman almost feel over. "Don't be so surprised, batty, it's not like I had a change of heart or something, me? I just don't like other people _messing_ with m**y** stuff." He gave Batman a feral grin.

"So, bats, **who**'_deya_ think did this, then?" Joker piped up. Not meeting his eyes, Batman replied "I think this have something to do with the fire." He reprimanded himself. What a ridiculous notion.

"Well fuck me." Batman turned sharply towards the Joker, a reply frozen in his throat. "Just kidding, batty, didja really think I'm asking you to, ya know." The Joker is smirking at him, and Batman could not push away a small tinge of disappointment settling in his stomach.

"Fuck off." That was the first thing Batman heard after he called Gordon. He could hear the Joker laughing at him from the background. "Sorry, I've had a rough day." Batman replied that he did not need any apologies. "Do you have any idea what could've cause...this?" Batman frowned. This situation is entirely too bizzare.

"Is the Joker with you?" Gordon knew that if the answer was no the Joker would become the main suspect. This had to be caused by something. None of the police officers would have killed themselves like that, no. This is murder. "The Joker has been in the Batcave for last night and today." Gordon sighed. The main lead was gone.

"I'll be coming to get you." Without hearing the Joker and Gordon's protests, Batman headed out. Not before ensuring the Joker is strapped to the bed, though.

* * *

Watching the news on the big screen, the man grinned. "They still have not caught on?" He asked. "What idiots." "Quiet." The woman growled and the three remained silent while the news blared on the screen.

"Soon, Gotham would fall. And so will the rest of the world." A neutral voice said over the intercom.

"What should we do with the vessel once Gotham is ours?" The woman asked. "We remove the spell, of course." The voice replied. "Them we kill him. The new earth would need no police, no criminals, no businessmen or schools. Humans would learn to obey ans there would be a perfect society."

The smaller man smirked and a smile tugged at the woman's lips. The face of the third man remains passive.


	14. The past and the future

"Are you injured?" Joker stares. The first thing Gordon says to him after so long and it's _this_?! Batman looks equally shocked.

Noticing their stares Gordon continues.

"Every time the Joker is injured, the fire appears, and then people die. It's too much of a coincidence."

"..." Batman offers no reply. Truth be told, he have a small, nagging suspicion that this may be the case, but have not acted upon it yet.

"Gordy?" The Joker cuts into the silence. "Are you, u_h_, going m_**a**__d_? Cause this is the craziest thing I've _ever_ heard, and this is c**om**ing from, ya kn_o_w, _**me **_of all p_eop_le!"

Gordon glared at the clown and the Joker pouted. Batman suddenly feel a surge of anger towards the clown. Not like he looked much like a clown without his paint.

"Joker.." He warned. Turning to Gordon, Batman picked up the conversation. "He was knocked out yesterday." "Yeah, Batt**y, **and by _you, _no less!" Joker cried. At least he did not mention the rea-

"All because of a lit**tl**_e-" _Batman glared at him and he closed his mouth.

"Whoa, you two r_ea_lly think that the fire has, uh, anyt**hi**ng to do with all these people of_**fi**_ng themselves?"

"Yes." And that was all it needed to send the Joker into a fit of laughter. Gordon looked angry and Batman stopped him.

"This is Gotham." Gordon stated plainly. "And?" The Joker's tone was mocking. "Gotham is crazy enough to cause this." And the Joker laughed again.

* * *

"Are you sure those two would be the best?" The pale haired woman asked, her blue eyes settling onto the man next to her. He looks her in the eye. "They have managed to find each other. Through time and space and alternating dimensions. Every single lifetime they have been through. They are the best hope for dis-spelling the curse once and for all."

"Why should we want the curse to be destroyed?" A sharp voice piped up. A warm pink glow surrounds the person's body. The man and the woman looked at the skimese man.

"The curse grows stronger every moment. These mortals have woken it, and now it spreads through Gotham like a plague. Soon it would consume earth, and the other realms. Including ours."

The Skime looked alarmed at this, but it questioned further. "Then why shall we choose them? Surly others has managed to follow their partners throughout the years?"

"Not like this." The woman sighed wistfully. "They have managed to be with each other through the history of time. From being banished gods, to demons, to Skime" She paused and looked pointedly at the Skime "to mortals. They were friends, enemies, lovers and acquaintances. Even if they only manage to brush shoulders in a life they still found each other."

The Skime and the man was speechless. The man spoke up. "How would they break this curse, then?" The woman smiled and turned to him, fingers threading through his golden hair. The Skime coughed loudly, and they untangled themselves from each other. "I forgot that Skime cannot feel sexual desire." The man says lightly.

"Ah yes, but our kind takes more pleasure in intellectual and aesthetic desires." The Skime replied. The man smiled. "Now is not the time for such conversations." She smiled pleasantly. "They would have to stop this because the ones who broke the seal placed a link upon one of them." The men gasped sharply.

The man furrowed his brow. "We would need to send someone to help them." "Fear not, love." The woman stated. Her cold blue dress spiraled around her, contrasting with the man's pale purple and the Skime's grass green. "I have noted that they have help from lord Skryard himself."

The three looked into the mirror of R'dir, the link to the mortal realms. Commissioner Gordon's face appears on the smooth surface. "But he is just a mere mortal!" The Skime cries out.

"Fear not." The man speaks up. "When the time is right we shall meet with them. For now, we have no say in mortal affairs, even though this may affect us." And with such words, the Skime nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the man and the woman in their thoughts.

* * *

Bruce kicked around in his large bed as he dreamed. Little did he know, in the Batcave, his 'guest of honour' was dreaming as well. Bruce is too engrossed to care.

Bruce cannot move. His body was not in his control. He sat in a small dingy cell. A prison camp for POWs, he remembers, for some strange reason. The door opens and his captors throws a blond man in. The man was too busy screaming in french at their captors to notice him in the corner.

The door locks again. The man turns around to face Bruce and Bruce's breath hitched. This man is the Joker. He was sure of it. He may not have the Glasgow scars, but one look into his poisonous eyes and he knew. They sat there, in a small and damp cell for god knows how long, and the dream fades away into black.

Another dream, or rather, a vision starts. Bruce still had no control over his body, but he could tell a glorious ceremony is occurring. A beautiful woman, her blond hair cascading over with mischief and her lips pulled into a smirk, looked at him. Bruce knew that this woman was the Joker. He, or rather, she pulled him close into a kiss, and this vision fades away again.

This time, he is Batman, and the Joker is still the Joker. He notices that his suit is slightly different, the kevlar feeling more like spandex. The Joker grins wildly, but the scars are gone. In place of scars and paint, was bleached white skin and poison green hair. Even without greasepaint his lips are still red as ruby.

The their fight changes into another direction. The cowl came off, and Bruce cannot even protest. Their lips locks in a frenzy of tongue and desperation, and, no matter how wrong he tells himself this is, it still felt achingly right. Batman pulls the Joker into another kiss, and Bruce woke up with a start.

"What the hell was that?!" He exclaimed to himself. The dreams (They are just dreams, right?) vividly imprinted in his mind. He shook the offending images out of his brain and stumbled into the shower, hoping that cold water would calm his heated body.

**A/N: So Brucey has some dreams, and the Joker was featured in all of them. What do you think that the man and the woman are talking about? Ask me anything you want to and I would be happy to answer! :)**


	15. A little kiss

The Joker hummed as he skipped towards his apartment._ Finally_, he thought, The cops has been crawling all over the place after the homeless killed themselves. Now all the police force are focused on sorting out their own suicides.

A shadow clad figure jumps out at him from the alleyway. It is night time, and the man charged at the Joker with a large knife. The Joker grinned. He have not had a good fight in a long time. The man is clearly an amateur, hired by an idiot who does not know who to fight in Gotham.

With a quick thump, the man fell to the floor, either dead or unconscious. Can't have Batsy getting too angry now, can he. Joker snorted as he kicked the man and picked up his knife. It is sharp, and an complex pattern wove around the handle onto the knife body.

The Joker took the knife, sheath and all. Can't have the bat raging at him for hurting himself and killing other people. The Joker has to play by Batty's rules for now, annoying as they may be. He felt a twinge of anger at the people who caused this. He could be out there blowing up buildings and playing fistfight with batty right now.

Instead, ever since Gordon revealed his suspicions the commissioner and the Bat has treated him carefully, in case they hurt him, and, by proxy, kill some _innocents_. The Joker pushed open the door to his apartment and flopped down onto the bed. Rest first, thinking later.

* * *

"Are you hurt?" The Joker scowled. _That _is the first thing Batman says to him.

"Nope. But, I, u**h**, found t_hi_**s**." He shoved the knife onto the table that is now in the Batcave. Batman took the knife.

"Ya know, bats, I'm kinda h_ur_t that you only asked about me cause people might be, ah, hu_**rt**_."

Something in Bruce hurt to hear that from the Joker. Despite worrying that any injury to the man could cause the death of many innocent civilians, "I do care." He cursed himself as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth. The Joker laughed, and damn it does hurt.

"Show me." Joker cuts into the awkward silence. He has never been one for awkward silences, anyways. "Show _me_ your fa_ce_, bat**tyk**in_sss_, if you m**e**_**a**__nt_ it" He hisses at Batman.

Batman reached and pulled his cowl off. His mind is screaming no but his arm is not responding to his arm. The cowl comes off and the Joker stared.

"_Bruce Wayne_." The Joker seems surprised. And pissed off. "It's always been Bruce Wayne." Bruce says. "It's always been Batman, as well."

"So the _playboy billionair_e is **Batma**_**n**_, huh? Guess I should've notice-" His words are cut off by Wayne's- No. _Batman's _mouth meeting his. And they were just stuck there in a state of limbo unto the Joker decides to kiss back and it became a war of sorts,

A part of Batman's mind yells at him to stop this madness before anything went further. The rest of him ignores the voice and continues kissing-yes, kissing the Joker. Of all people. His mouth tastes like a strange mix between sugar and mint. He remembers forcing Joker to brush his teeth regularly, and it was hilarious, but now he is too busy loosing himself to the kiss to focus.

The kiss becomes a collision of teeth and tongue and sparks are flying when Batman decides to pull away and they both end up gasping for air.

"Holy shit." Batman blurted out and the Joker just laughed. "Are you, _um_, Bruce Wayne or Batman? Cause this is getting r_eal_ly bizar_r_e."

"Bruce Wayne is Batman and Batman is Bruce Wayne." The answer felt surprisingly right to Batman. Noting Joker's quizzical look, he continued "It's still Bruce Wayne out at night fighting crime-" Joker snorted at that "And it's still Batman sleeping at important meetings."

"Can't believe I talked about killing you to, _well_, you." The Joker laughed at that. Despite a part of himself-damn that naggy little voice-telling him not to, Batman laughed as well.

"I think we just made out." The Joker said and Batman stopped laughing. "I think I just made out with _Batman_. I think Batman just made out with m-" And Bruce's lips cuts him off. Again. Into a deeper kiss that is desperation and need rolled into one.

"What the hell is going on here?"

They froze and turn around, still clutching onto each other. Stiffly turning around, the mismatched duo faced Gordon, who stood by the front entrance, eyes as wide as dinner plate and mouth hanging open.

"I think I need to sit down." Not getting a reply from Batman and the Joker, Gordon managed to move himself to the newly-installed couch and collapse onto it.

Batman and the Joker sat on their respective chairs. "Care to explain why the _hell _are you two _making out_?" Gordon seems exasperated, but not angry.

"Cause we, u_h_, w**ant**ed to, c_om_**mis**sion_**e**_**r**~" Batman held his face in his hands. Of course the Joker would say that.

"Bruce Wayne?!" Gordon snapped his face around to stare at Batman's exposed face.

"Yep, it's Brucey Wayne all right!" The Joker yapped in the background. Both men glowered at him. "I was going to say Bruce Wayne's long lost twin." Bruce said grimly.

The Joker let out a dramatic gasp. "Batsy! You _do_ have a sense of humour after all!" He waved his arms around. He looks oddly like an excited puppy, Bruce thinks.

Gordon pinched his brow. "Can we just ignore this happened at all and get back to solving whatever this is?" The Joker grinned. "Nope." Then he jumped on Bruce and licked his face. Bruce responded by sticking his tongue down the Joker's throat. Gordon slammed his hand onto his face.

* * *

"They took the knife." The man's voice is low and dangerous. "How could you two have been so foolish to let a _common thug_ use the knife?"

The other man started to squeak excuses and the woman's eyes narrows. "This is all part of the game, señor."

"What kind of game is this?" The woman smirked. "You shall all know in due time."

* * *

The man looked into the mirror on earth, biting his lips. "How shall they save the realms if they are.." His voice broke off and he gestured to the mirror."

"Fear not, love, life will find a way." The woman said.

"I think that we shall contact Lord Skryard's mortal form. Perhaps he could help us." They share a pensive look.


	16. Author's note

**Authors note: From this point on the rest of the fic would be basically a fantasy sort of thing, ya know, elves and strange parallel universes and all that, but the characters would still be in character and what they do is very relevant to the plot.**


	17. Beginning

"You know, Scarecrow, this does not seem like a good idea now." Two face looks worried.

"Not my fault." Scarecrow grumbles. "We plan to take out the GCPD, and then they off themselves. Something is fishy here."

"The Joker?" Two face suggested. "We haven't seen the Joker around in a long time. Maybe he is up to something."

"You think the Joker is able convince the police to just randomly kill themselves? No. My friend, there is something much darker at work in Gotham."

Two Face frowned. "Are we just gonna sit this out?"

"No. We need to stock up with weapons. Something tells me that something bad is happening, and we won't like it."

Two Face nodded in agreement.

* * *

Joker sticks his tongue out at Gordon and Batman massaged his temples.

"Hey _Go_rd**y**~, looks like me and Batty are, _uh_, an _item_ now!" He dissolved into a fit of giggles. Bruce looks at the scarred man. An item? He thought, his feelings conflicted. Joker giggled again and Bruce felt the corners of his lips tug up. An item it is.

A second later, a bright beam of light appears and the three disappears into the light. Their visions fade to black.

"Is this really such a good idea, my dear?" Than man asks the chuckling woman while pointing to the unconscious figures on the floor.

* * *

She laughed and flicked her wrists. They woke up.

"Where the hell are we?" Gordon asks, as the Joker pulls himself and Batman up from the floor.

"Fear not, humans." A bell like voice chided. They spin around to see a man and a woman, both clad in blue.

"What the fuck." For once, Batman agree with the Joker. Without his cowl and being in front of strangers make him feel strangely naked.

"A terrible curse has been put upon your dear city." The woman looked at Batman.

"Yeah, we kinda noticed _that_." The woman smiled at the Joker.

"This curse affects far more than your city, I'm afraid." The man explained to them. "It is a curse upon entire realms, sealed into stone through ancient scrolls in the days far before man." The three gaped at him, disbelieving.

"There are nine scrolls in total. Although we cannot get them for you, you shall go and retrieve them, for the scrolls has been split into many pieces. We will place spells upon you so that a day you spend in each realm will be an hour in yours. This is the lease we could do."

"Wait, are you saying we are going on this q_ue_st thing? Shouldn't _we_, like, get some magic kni_**ve**_s and s_tu_ff?" The Joker demanded.

The man tossed three bags at them. "Get changed, the search for the first scroll is beginning." With a flick of his hand, Batman and the Joker is clad in warm winter clothing and tinted googles and Gordon is seen standing in shorts, boots and a tank top. Joker laughed at him and Gordon glared back. Batman's suit is stuffed into his pack.

"You shall find what you need in the realms you are in. The first scroll is split into two."

At the end of her sentence, Gordon flickered and disappeared. Batman spun around to grab the man, but another flick of wrists sent him and the Joker down a set of spirals.

"The second war against the curse has now begun."


	18. ice

Batman and Joker checks their surroundings. Dressed in leather and furs with sturdy boots, they landed in a seemingly icy world. White is everywhere, surrounding them. The wind howled and threatened to rip them from the ground and slam them into the mountains.

"Do you know where we are going, bats?" The Joker asked, clinging onto Batman's coat. "No." Batman replied. He felt nervous. More frightened by anything ever before. They were alone in the haunting land of white, and they must survive and find their half of the scroll.

"We need to find shelter." Batman said, and dragged the Joker along with him. The Joker scoffed. He does not make plans, but this situation calls for plans to be made, which means he is slightly reliant on Batman now.

The two trekked through the icy plains in silence, attempting to preserve energy wasted from talking. The Joker has managed to find a few dead trees on their way towards the mountains, and shaped two walking sticks for him and Batman with his knives(of course he has knives, he brings them everywhere.). Bruce cut as much wood as he can into firewood. At least they now know there is ground beneath their feet, not just ice and snow.

That night, Bruce built a small fire, rationing their firewood. The ice melted into water around them, but the fire too strong and too worm to fade. The Joker looks at the mountains.

"Are we really going there?" He points to the sharp ridges and sheer cliffs. "Yes." Batman replied. He looked down onto a piece of paper he found in his bad, his suit and weapons in another compartment. Strange how the weight of the bags does not change even when they add things to it.

"Bats?" The Joker calls. Bruce looks at him, snapped out of his thoughts. "H_ow_ are we, u**m**, gonna get food?" He asks, and Bruce cannot blame him for asking. They would need to be strong if they have to scour the mountains and retrieve the split scroll.

"We will hunt. There must be animals around, if there are trees." Joker looks at him with disbelief and Bruce finds himself doubtful. "There will be." He assured himself and Joker. They went to sleep beside the fire, curled up together with their bags and each other for warmth.

That night the wind howled and blew their fire out, and the Bat and the Clown woke up to themselves holding each other in a tight embrace.

They ignored their growling stomachs and set off again towards the mountains which seemed so far away, across the plains. Everywhere around them the plains stretched, and the mountains are Gotham's only hope.

"At least a day here is an hour on earth." The Joker grumbled and Bruce finds himself relieved by that fact. They still have time. "Wonder how's Gordy doing." The Joker piped up again and Batman wonders. He hopes that Gordon was not sent to this place as he remembers the man's tank top and shorts when he was sent away by the strange couple.

Their one sided conversation ended when the Joker slipped on the snow and fell on his knees. "Ow shit ow shit ow shit!" He yelled as Batman pulled him up, a smile tugging at his lips. Bruce threads his fingers in the man's gold green hair. He liked it better when the clown is not wearing make up, which there is none of in this desolate land.

"Wait, Br**u**c_ie, _I think I see something." The Joker calls. He begins to dig in the snow with his gloved hands. Batman went over to help him, and they dug in comfortable silence. Within minutes they found the bloody carcass of a moose.

The fur was everywhere and bits and pieces of meat fell of the bones, but the men could both see that the body was fresh. "Looks like its time for Brunch!" Joker exclaimed loudly, and Bruce found himself smiling. "I'll go start a fire."

They shared the roast meat and buried the animal, cutting some meat to bring with them for the rest of the day. Somehow, when the Joker pressed his lips to his, Batman did not mind.

They walked on, footsteps silent in the snow. The midday sun shines brightly and Batman called for a break. At least the googles shields their eyes from the sea of white.

"That is disgusting." Batman commented as the Joker licked the ice they trod on. "Hmm." The clown replied. "And how_ would we_ get our water then, ba_tt_y?"

Batman snorted and grabbed a handful of snow, his tongue burning from the cold. "Why don't we melt it?" He turned around to ask the Joker, only to see the scarred man attempt to light a fire with the twigs he carried.

Bruce looked to glare at the Joker, only to find the man sticking his tongue out at him. Before he could control himself, he leaned down to greet the scarred mouth with his own.

"I'll start the fire." Batman mentioned as he pulled himself off the Joker, ignoring the heat in his mouth and his stomach. Joker nodded, still a bit breathless.

"We have nothing to drink from, bats." The Joker looks around. Batman pulls a piece of his padding from the batsuit. Joker glared at it. "I'm not gonna drink from that." He screws up his nose. "Go back to licking ice, then." Bruce answers dryly. The Joker pouted, but he could hear no malice from the bat's voice, so he settled for drinking from the Kevlar padding.

Gordon landed in a land of heat. Three suns blared in the sky (How is that even possible!)

He appears to be on a mountain, facing stairs carved into the steep side of a mountain that reaches into the cloud. He supposes that he will have to climb said stairs to reach his half of the scroll.

* * *

Gordon cursed as his hand comes into contact with the side of the mountain. A small burn has formed on his palm. Shuffling through his bad, he finds a small jar filled with some kind of gel. He decides to apply the gel to the burn, and let out a breath he has been holding as the pain is relieved. Determined not to make this mistake again, he slipped on a pair of gloves and is pleasantly surprised when he finds that they are cool to his hands, like the gloves and hat are cool to his feet and head.

Warily, he took his first step and moved on, intending to make as much progress as possible.

* * *

That night, out in the open cold plains, next to a small fire, two figures clash together in desperation and jumbled emotions, dancing a dance that has been ongoing since the beginning of mankind.

"Bats! My ass hurts!" Joker pouted. Batman's face flushed red as he remembers what occurred last night. "Just put on your clothes and cold." He could almost imagine the Joker stomping his feet. At least the sun is warm and there is no wind.

"Joker, we need to get going, weather like this does n't last long." Bruce chided as they stomp out the fire and pick up there walking sticks.

"Your face is still **red**, _batty_" The Joker looked smug. Batman wanted to joke about how he looked when he..No. He told himself. Bat thoughts. No time for bad thoughts, they have to go now.

"We have to go now." With that, they set out again towards the icy mountains that seemed a little closer than before.

"Hey bats?" The Joker chimed halfway through the journey. Batman turned around to look at him. "I think we are going in _circles_." He pointed to the ice beneath them. There lays the moose carcass that they took meat from days ago.

"I have an idea." Joker said before Batman could say anything. "What idea." Bruce says gruffly. They had come all this way to find themselves going in circles. "We're, uh, gonna _fly_ to the mountains."

"How." Batman asked. Anything that could help them along is appreciated, and the Joker is a smart man.

"I can't believe you think this will work." Batman said as he strapped himself onto a gliding device that the Joker made.

"Where did you find these materials to make these." He asked, pointing to the things shaped out of wood from dead trees, animal skin and pieces of leather.

"Well, bats, you find **al**_l _sorts of important things in t_h_**es**e bags..." He wagged his eyebrows at the Batman. He grunted in response.

"You would need wind too.." Batman's words died in his mouth as he sees the Joker leap into the air by pulling a piece of string by the side of the glider. He pulled as well and gave a surprised yelp when he is flung into the air. The Joker laughed, but there is no ill intentions.

"C'mon, bats to the mountains!" The Joker yelled, strapped to the glider with the bag strapped to his chest. Batman cannot help but grin so wide that his face almost splits. To the mountains it is.


	19. Danger zone

They soared through the endless expanse of blue that is the sky, towards the vast mountain ranges that hold what they need the most.

"We're flyiiiing!" Joker yelled to Batman from the sky. He tries to shoot the clown a glare, but it came out as an exasperated look instead. The mountains edge closer and closer. Soon they will be travelling by feet to look for the scroll.

"We need to go down for a break." Bruce told the Joker as he flew closer. "Wh_y_?" Joker whined. He enjoys having wind through his hair and between his fingers. "We are too far from the mountains still and we need food." Batman stated. Joker pouted, but flew downwards and Batman follows him back onto the ground.

"Whoa, it feels _weird_." Joker said as he stumbled on the ground. "We need to find food." Batman growled. "Food is heading our way right now." Joker jested. Batman turned around and sees a pack of wolves, their fur a light grey against the white snow, soft padding making them almost invisible in this land.

Bruce leaps backwards as the largest wolf stepped forwards, regarding them with it's intelligent eyes. He met the Joker, back to back. The wolf pack surrounded them. The Joker has a knife in each hand and Batman grabbed onto a few batarangs.

* * *

The streets of Gotham became a battle field between gangs and criminals with Batman gone for many days. Funny how a few hours without the Bat could cause so much chaos in the narrows. It dosen't help that the Joker has disappeared, as well. He would usually be in the centre of such a battle.

Two Face cocked his gun at the newcomer. The woman shoots him a mean look before grabbing onto the gun strapped to her thigh as her other hand reaches for the whip by her waist. A blast of fire shoots towards them and the woman swore. "Dammit! Who brought the flamethrower!" She yelled and two face grabbed a dazed Jonathan Crane and ran to their shared van. He does not run away often but this situation calls for it. He looks back. Looks like a new group of people has taken over this part of Gotham. At least he lived somewhere else.

Alfred sleeps, and dreams of a golden hall. Two figures reach out towards him and talks. They told him that Bruce is on a quest, a journey and that he would be fine. He wakes up and calls commissioner Gordon, but no one answers.

* * *

The large wolf leaps first, and Batman and the Joker springs into action. A large part of the battle was a blur to him, and all he remembers is claws on his arm and blood spraying onto the white snow. The Joker hears Batman yell something at him and staggers back. He blinks and sees the carcass of the large wolf, his knife stuck in it's throat and a few batarangs sticking into it's body.

"At least we have food." Joker does not like how weak his voice sounded. "You have a concussion." Batman says, and is that, _oh my, _a hint of _concern _in his voice, Joker thought blearily but nodded. The sharp pain in his skull made him wince.

Batman carried the Joker in his arms and they sat down next to a small fire that he made. At least there was food for the evening, but with one of them injured they cannot go and fly to the mountains.

"Don't you dare die on me, you fool." He whispers, but the clown in his arms has already slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

"The spell is failing." The man said, his body tense and his voice trembling. The woman took a deep breath.

"Each day they spend is now a half day in the mortal realm." He frowns. "This does not bode well."

"How long will it take to fail completely?" She asked, hands curling into fists. "A few more hours, at most. Soon a day they spend in the otherworlds would be a day on earth."

"They must hurry up then." She grips the handle of the mirror tightly.

"There are three scrolls in total. They must find them before the time runs out." He points to a bowl of water. In the bowl they can see the image on a hourglass. Blood drips from one end to the other. "When the blood runs out the curse will unleash its power." They stare together, pensive.

**A/N: So what do you think? Like it so far?**


	20. The Voice

Ch20

The Joker insists on flying again. Bruce refuses at first, pointing out the man's injuries and finds no retaliation when Joker bites back about getting worse injuries from a certain little bat.

When they finally land inside a cave in the mountains it was already dusk. The Joker packed no food but at least Batman has the sense to store some meat.

"Y' know, Bats, w_hen _are we gonna find this scroll thing?" Joker piped up, uncomfortable about the silence. Batman finds that the Joker always tries to fill the silence in with something. Anything. He feels so curious about what made the Joker this way, so afraid-no, not afraid, but more like avoiding silence.

"Bats? Yo ho! D_idj_**a** hear m_**e**_ bats?!" The Joker called again. He does not like being ignored, dammit!

"What happened to you?" Bruce says, and, despite the man's hatred of silence, he did not reply. "Nothing." The Joker grinds out an age later. "Nothing happened to me."

Batman leans forward. "Nothing could not make you what you are." He whispers. The Joker edges in as well. Outside, the wind howled.

"What if it is nothing that made me this way." He speaks in a soft tone different from his usual voice. He closes the space between him and Batman felt content to just be there until he realises that he was locking lips with a mass murderer. He jerks out of the kiss and pushes the Joker away from him.

"A**w**_w_, afraid of a _wittle kiss_, Batsy?" The Joker taunts, feeling angry that Batman pulled him out of their little moment. Batman can almost hear the hurt in his voice, and a stab of guilt twisted in his heart until he realises why he pulled away from this man.

"This can't go on." Batman stated. "What can't go on?" The Joker asked, calm and dangerous, brown-green eyes flashing. "This." Bruce made a hand motion in the space between them. "Us."

The Joker's eyes flashes again and he opens his mouth when Batman leans again, grabbing the front of the Joker's coat.

"What." He growls, his mind berating himself for the sudden loss of control.

"What is it that you want." He asks, his hands curled up into fists.

"I want you." Before Batman can say anything after he recovers from his shock, the Joker spoke up again. "And I want you to want me." Batman pushes the clown off him, and he laughs.

"Look at me, I'm even quoting song lyrics for this, how_ pathetic_." He spits out the last word like a curse.

"Lies." Bruce says, looking the clown in his eyes. "You lie, you cheat and you should I trust anything you say?" He asks, words dripping venom.

"You shouldn't." The Joker speaks again after a long stretch of silence. "Don't speak me about anything then, _Batman_." The Joker shuffles around and lies down in a corner of the cave. Batman notes how long it has been since the Joker last said his name and not some nickname and feel a pang of loss which he quickly ignores. Silence fills the cave as they went to an uneasy sleep.

The weather is not any better the next morning. The sky appears dark with storm clouds hovering near the mountains and rain pelted them on all sides. A small rocky path between two mountains shows to be the only way out on foot.

"It leads to a cliff." Bruce states. "Well no shit, sherlock." The Joker snaps back, then retreats into silence.

They walk, bags on their backs and huddled uncomfortably together on the track, just wide enough for them to walk through without too much trouble but still slim enough for a possible fall.

The joint mountains split apart about a kilometre in the hike, leaving a large gap and an impossibly deep canyon. The cliffside plunged into a dark abyss. Batman moves closer to the Joker as they walked, telling himself that he is only doing this as he needs the man for this mission.

The Joker's wrists itched. A small glow appeared on the tattoos and was snuffed out in seconds in the cold. Batman opened his mouth, but did not say anything. They walked on.

* * *

Days pass with no sign of Batman and the Joker and Commissioner Gordon, and the media ran wild. People assumed that Bruce Wayne is off on another jaunt around the world.

But Batman is burdened with the brunt of the speculation. Everything from death to raunchy threesomes with the Joker and the commissioner was suggested. It didn't help them that the three disappeared at around the same time. The criminal world is still wary, wounds sore from when they were attacked some days ago by the mysterious new group.

It was when Jonathan Crane and Two Face wound up watching the news. The video on all stations changed instantly. A blue symbol of a snake circling the pupil of an eye appeared on the black screens.

A disembodied voice speaks up.

"Citizens of Gotham. You are chosen. This will be a new beginning, for Gotham, for America, and for the world. You must choose between us and the others. We will change the world, and the Voice shall be our leader. You will be a part in the movement towards a better tomorrow. Our tomorrow."

With that, the lights flickered on and the stations returned to normal. Gotham speculates and drives itself into a frenzy. The footage is uploaded to the internet minutes later.

"I'm surprised that the internet didn't implode." Crane says drily as they rewatched the footage.

"It's a lot more durable than you think." Dent replies in an equally dry voice.

The internet is full of speculations and conspiracy theorists, all wanting to know who the 'voice' is. Many people has claimed that they were the voice, and the phone lines connection to GCPD is bursting with crazy claims. With commissioner Gordon gone his step in officer and the team worked as hard as they could to trace the footage, but everything has come up as blanks.

**A/N: Tell me what do you think of it so far! Bats and Joker's argument? The video? Who do you think the voice is? What should I write about next? **


	21. falling down

Ch21

Batman and the Joker walked on, Batman feeling relieved that the path has widened again, to almost eight feet across. They can now afford to move faster. Just when he was about to suggest them finding a resting place, the ground beneath their feet, and the mountain, begins to shake.

"Watch out!" He hisses to the Joker as he pulls the man away from falling debris. "Like you care." He grumbles at the bat.

"Bats!" The Joker jumped and pushes Batman to the side as a large rock crashes through the path, knocking a large chunk of it into the abyss below.

Losing his footing between the winds and the shakes, Joker feel over the side of the ravine, his hand caught by Bruce's hand as the man leaped over just in time.

"Hi bats!" The Joker grins. "Glad you came to save me!" The ground shakes again and pieces of rock crashes into Batman's ribs and the Joker's head. Batman wobbles and nearly fall. The Joker's hand slips.

"I gotta go, bats." The Joker whispers as his blood trickle down his forehead. The 'for you' went unsaid. Before Batman can tighten his grip the clown lets go, falling down into the dark below.

His mind falters as he stands and the world tips itself in front of him. The earthquake has stopped, but his world remains dizzy.

The Joker is gone and yet Batman cannot bring himself to believe it. He yells at the void. 'How could you! How could you just let go!' Tears streams down his cheeks and he does nothing to stop it.

'How can you just let _me_ go?' He whispers as he leans against the rock. His entire being shook. Batman feels empty without the Joker, who is always there, always with him.

In place of that man who stole everything from him and gave him everything and more is a wound. A large, gaping sore that bleeds. He picks at the wound just to feel it bleed. Just to make himself feel.

"Why?" He asks, but there is no answer, no talk of fire and chaos, no laugh. His clown is gone. He screams, facing the dark sky. The sound of his wounded cries echoed back and forth

Night falls quickly, and the skies calm down, but Bruce feels nothing but pain. He lost his energy to scream and cry to the heavens long ago.

Batman knows he should feel nothing, and even be glad that the Joker is gone (he refuses to consider the word dead). But the only emotions he can conjure up is pain and emptiness and anger.

"Why did you let go?" He whispers as he sits down on the track. He tries to laugh at himself, but can only think of the Joker. Laughing reminds him too much of _him_. It hurts too much to laugh. "Dammit!" He sobs again.

He stares up at the night sky. Stars litters the purple-black drapes, but he pays little notice. His mind wanders to the Joker again. It hurts to even think that name, let along say it. A sharp knife-knifes reminds him of the Joker as well-twists in his heart and he gasps at the phantom pain.

The name brought back too much memories. First meeting, first fight, first kiss. They knew each inch of each other's body from their countless encounters, and recently, a more intimate kind of fight.

He remembers every moment they have been together for in the past few weeks. And every moment they could have in the future.

He blames himself. He could have held on better, tighten his grip and heave the Joker onto the path, drag them both to safety. Overwhelming guilt joined the pain. Such feelings dominated his thoughts and he ignores the soft sting of his bruised ribs.

Batman had no sleep that night, his mind in shock of what he had just lost.

When he woke the woman stood in front of him. He struggled to pull himself up.

"I am sorry for your loss." She stated.

Batman wants to scream at her. She does not know how it felt, to be so raw and open, without his other half.

"We cannot be physically in the other worlds, so I am projecting an illusion here. You must reach the highest mountain, in the distant north. Go through the caves if you must, and you shall find what you need in the bags."

With that, the image of the woman flickers and she is gone.

Batman only realises that he referred to the Joker as his other half after she has left.

He stood up and held his hand up to the north. If he cant save the Joker, he is damn sure he will avenge him. And these people who caused the situation for them to be sent here is partially responsible for his fall.

Batman's mouth pulls into an ugly snarl as he utters one last, feral roar at the loss of his clown. Why the hell should he even listen to these people? They came out of no where and tear up his life, yet they claim that it is better for Gotham?

He will be back. Once Gotham is saved and the perpetrators punished he will have his revenge. _How will you get any with that one rule? _His mind whispers. He ignores it.

He picks up the Joker's bag and slings it onto his shoulder. He will not leave any reminder of him behind.

He walks, the injuries making him slow, and the increased weight on his shoulders making him slower. He knows he needs to slow down, to plan, but the weight of his loss is heavy on his mind.

Batman pushed himself up against the wall of another cave. He would need to find an open space if he wants to arrive at the tallest mountain.

If I can't have my first revenge, he curls his fists and slams them into the hard rock and thinks. Then I will have my second. He punches the walls again and again, wiping angrily at new tears with his bloodied fists.

Batman presses his forehead to the cold war, his blood smearing on his skin.

**A/N: What do you think about this chapter, what should happen next. Any ideas? How do you think batsy would react the next few days?**

**PS I want to thank Black Raven 2539 for all the reviews!**


	22. Wild things

Ch22

**A/N: Please r&r! :D**

Batman wakes to the sound of thunder. He shuffles around, looking for his travel companion before the fact that the Joker was gone hits him.

Bruce gasps for breath, fighting against the constricting feeling in his chest. He must go and find the scroll. Get back to Gotham, save Gotham, get his_ revenge_.

Vengeance feels good, but having his nemesis alive feels better. He shakes his head and runs his fingers through his now greasy hair. Too late. It's too late to think about this anymore. It's too late to think about anything anymore.

"I want you." He forces himself to say. "And I-I want you to want _me_." He picks up their bags and walks out. He can almost hear the Joker shuffle up, complaining all the way.

_You should hate him_. His mind says. _He crashes into your life and burns and kills everything you love_. _But I don't__._ Batman retorts._I_ _**cant**_. Because we have been through everything together. Because he is broken like I am. Because he completes me. _You complete me_. Because I lo- The bat shakes his head and moves forward.

The caves twists and turns into a mess of a maze. Gripping the bags tightly, he walks on, memories of the fall and the bats plaguing him. But the bats are a part of him now. He is no longer scared of them.

_A thousand years a thousand lives- _A voice whispers to him. _Don't you want to see what could have been?_

_I will take you there. _A small light appears in front of him. Blue and barely visible, a fragile thing in the darkness of the caves.

"To where?" He breaths, but does not touch the light. Years of training teaches him not to touch anything that could be potentially dangerous.

_I shall give you what you seek, in return for my body back. _"Your body?" _Tis' frozen in the icy tombs of the tallest mountain of this kingdom, traveler. It holds what you seek and what I seek._

"What do you want me to do?" Batman knows he should not make any bargains with this thing. He holds no belief for the supernatural, but the happenings lately are too bizarre for anything else.

_Take me with you, human. I cannot move without assistance. You wish for your lover's return, do you not?  
_

"He is not my lover." He says, the words feeling so right and so wrong at the same time. The voice echoed through the caves.

_It matters not what you think. Do you not wish for true happiness? How many lives have you lived through, searching but never finding, finding but always denying, how many cycles do you have to go through until you find happiness?_

"It's none of your business." Bruce grits out, eyes cold and mouth set into a hard line. The light flicks. "What are you even talking about?"

_You and your clown. Years and years, impossible amounts of time and lives and you are still denying yourself._

"The Joker is a criminal and a mass murderer." He says, almost mechanically. _And I miss him._

_You should really stop shrouding yourself in guilt. Do you want to see him again or not?_

"Yes." Bruce blurts out before he thinks. But if the Joker never comes back. If the Joker never comes back, Gotham would be safe from him. But Bruce? Batman will be an empty void, a husk without the clown.

"I want-I _want _him back." He knows that it's a dangerous game he plays. But the Joker is a fire, an enigma. If there is a chance of having him back, he will take it without hesitation.

"You can do that?" The voice from the light chuckles.

_You are making a deal with the devil. You do realise that, right?_

"Deal." Batman would usually not be so certain of making such an uncertain deal, but, this means he has a chance, no matter how slim, to have the Joker-his Joker back. _Because he is mine, and I am his in return._

_Good. _

Batman reaches out and his fingertips brushes the light. A soft warm feeling floods his veins and he _knows_.

He moves, and the light follows him, strangely silent. He walks until his legs ache and keeps walking.

_You are going to tire out if you keep going like this. Do you want to know about your pasts?_

"What are you talking about?!" Batman feels irritated. At least the Joker's ramblings are less annoying. He is doing this to get the clown back and to save Gotham.

_Exactly. Maybe you can beat destiny and not lose him like in the other cycles. You need to sleep. When you sleep, you can see everything._

* * *

This time he is just Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy. There is no Batman, no Joker and the crime rate is much lower in this Gotham. He feels terrible for thinking that this is boring.

Bruce leans on his hand in the coffee shop.

"E**xc**_use _**me**, _sir_, do you need an**y**_thin_**g**?" A nasally voice sounded beside his ear.

Bruce snaps his head around. The Joker smiles at him, but it was not the Joker. Not _his_ Joker.

Then everything blurs together and fades to black

* * *

Bruce leaps through the hoops, his body performing great feats of art and gymnastics.

After the show, a flash of green catches his eye. A small child, dressed in a tailored suit with green eyes and a sad smile looks at him, and turns away. Bruce reaches out at the retreating figure. It fades again.

* * *

When he wakes up in the cave Batman is oddly well rested.

_Told you about the cycles. You two are too stubborn for your own good._

"What are you talking about." Batman snaps at the small light. "I need to get to the mountain."

_We need to get to the mountain, and you need me to get your clown back._

"I am doing this for Gotham." _And the Joker._

_You can have them both, you know. Your City and your man. No need to make self righteous sacrifices when you can avoid them._

"Shut up." Batman growls as he slugs the packs over his shoulders.

_Unless you admit that you are doing this mostly for the clown._

"I am doing this mostly for the Joker." Batman mutters, tired. The words sounds more right than anything else he says.

"What the hell was the dreams supposed to be about?" He asks the voice. His life is getting too strange for his liking.

_Past live, duh. You cant be this stupid, man._

Batman frowns. "Past lives don't exist."

_Yes they do. Now hurry up, we need to get there. I want my body back._

Batman and the light marches through the cave, pausing when the light manages to find fungus and small fish to eat. Batman grudgingly admits that he would have a harder time without the fire.

They leave the cavern system the next morning, and a large expanse of snow, leading to a sheer drop. Purple and pink glazes over the icy land, down to the plains. A tall peak, reaching into the clouds, stood against the land, looming.

_I can fly us there, you know._

"Should I trust you?" Batman is still wary of this light.

_Come on! I swear I can't get there by myself and I really want my body back. I need you alive for this._

Bruce hopes that this is not the only reason the light did not attack him. A blue light envelopes his body, and, in a bright flash of light, Batman is hurtled forwards to the mountain.

Retching and shaking, Bruce pulls himself up and turns to the light.

"What the hell was that for?"

_You humans are just too weak for this type of travel. You will get used to it. Now open that door._

Bruce looks up. He stands at the edge of the enormous cliff. A metal door twice his height and three times his length adorns the cliff side, previously unseen.

_Put your hand on the door, it will know why you are here and open for you._

"When did my life become like this?" Bruce presses his hand to the door. "Everything used to be _normal_."

_Like you are the dictionary definition of normal._

A blue light surrounds the door and Bruce's body. The door emits an ominous groan, and cracks open.

The ground splits open beneath them, and Batman lands with a loud sound onto the cold floor.

"Where a-..."

A large statue stood at the end of the cavern, filling up the wall. A figure, small against it's large hands, lies lifelessly on the bloodless stone, a ripped scroll clutched in his hands.

_That is my body, you know._

Batman ignores the light as he moves up to the statue. The Joker did not respond to his touch.

"You said he would be alive." Batman's voice is flat and void of emotion.

The light flickers, and disappears. A moment later, the statue opens it's eyes.

"Welcome, stranger, to my humble home."

Batman gave no response to the statue, focusing on the clown and the scroll.

"How." He asks, voice still flat, not trusting himself to say anything more for fearing his reaction.

"The scroll is an artifact of ancient magic. It connects with him. It's magic is tied to his."

Batman looks at the Joker. The markings around his wrists has disappeared.

"If you want, I can tie them together. Bring him back to the land of the living."

Bruce meets the statue's eyes. "What is the price." Even years of training cannot stop the _hope _from leaking out of his voice.

"The scroll becomes a part of him. To save your city from the curse he would have to give it up. Usually it means certain death."

"Do it." Bruce whispers. "He is anything but usual." _We are anything but usual._

"Are you certain?" The statue asks. "Would he not like to choose for himself?"

"I am. Certain." He is anything but. The Joker...Such a free spirit, a wild thing, yet Batman chains him to his side.

Would it not be better to let him go?

But he is too selfish to let him go. Wild things cannot be tamed, but they can be trapped. 'For the good of the city,' he tells himself, but it is really for his own selfish want.

"I can't let him go. Not after all this."

The statue nods. The scroll elongates, and wraps around the Joker's body. The room shakes and the clown is settled on the statue's large arms.

He opens his eyes.


	23. Back where we started

Ch23

The Joker sits up and screams.

"JOKER!" Bruce rushes over and places a hand on the convulsing man.

"Bats?" The Joker blinks. He seems to be in a dark cave. He hates caves. Caves mean bad things is going to happen.

"You fell off a cliff. WHY DID YOU LET GO!" He shakes the Joker's shoulders, wanting for answers to fall out.

"Tell me. _Why_?" Batman lets go, words tired from his outburst.

"Cause." The clown said loudly. "Cause you don't want me anymore."

"Is that it?" Bruce hopes his voice did not convey as much shock as he felt. His insides feels like a knife is shredding them and twisting them into new shapes.

"And because my head got hit by a rock, _duh_." Somehow, the humour does not lighten Batman's guilt.

Batman grabs the man and kisses him on the mouth, hoping to convey the tangled and complicated emotions he feels. The Joker bites back with equal vigor, arms moving to wrap around his bat's shoulders.

"Jeez, bats, you really should stop with the whole _guilt_ thing. I'm still alive,eh?"

Bruce runs his fingers through the madman's hair. "I should have held on tighter." He murmurs. "You _were_ dead."

"And ya brought me back, bats, think that counts for something." He smiles and Batman notices that it's the first time he saw the Joker smile.

"Ahem."

The two stops their display and turns to face the statue.

"What the actual _fuck_?!"

The Joker snaps around and stares at the statue.

"Ya know, you two really should get a room." It winks. The two men glares at it.

"Can you get us out of here?" Bruce asks the statue, annoyed by the comment.

"Yep." It seems quite happy about it.

"Ba_ts_?" The Joker staggers after Batman. "Where is that scroll thing?" It does seem important to his bat, but then again, the Joker is only going along for bats, not Gotham.

"I.." Batman finds it hard to continue. "_We _used it. To revive you."

The Joker blinks once, and blinks again. "Are you saying that you gave up what could save your, uh, _precious city, _to get_ little ole me_ back?" He seems amused by the concept.

Batman presses his forehead to the clown's. "Yes. And I don't regret it. Not one bit." The Joker opens his mouth to say something, but is cut of by a mouth on his.

"Jeez bats, no need to be so, uh, _eager_." The clown giggles. The statue sighs as they disappear in a flash of white light.

* * *

"Oof!" "Ompf!" The two fall to the floor of a spacious room. Gordon covers his eyes in embarrassment.

"Welcome back to the real world." He says dryly. "We have been gone from Gotham for about five days."

Batman and the Joker untangled themselves from each other.

"There are no more time to get the other scrolls. You must make do with what you've got. Good luck." The man rushes towards them, and the world spins under their feet again.

"S_oo_, what _now_?" The Joker glares at the two men piled on top of him as they stood up and Batman drags him up by his collar. At least they have their _normal_ clothes on.

"Now, we go upstairs and explain this to Alfred and see what happened when we were gone."

The Joker pouts, but follows Batman and Gordon into the elevator.

"Welcome back, master Bruce. I'm afraid your friends from outer space has already explained what is happening to me." Alfred said, relief clear in his voice now that he sees that Bruce is not too injured. He shoots a cautious look at the Joker, and nods and smiles at the commissioner. "Why don't you all." He paused and looks at the Joker. "Sit down. I'll have to say the last few days has not gone well."

"Alfred." Bruce smiles at his mentor as they sat down, Gordon still rubbing the gel into his sunburns.

"Well, first there is _this_ message." Alfred plays a recording of the message the 'voice' sent four days ago. Batman hisses in anger, Gordon purses his lips and the Joker looks mostly amused.

"Looks like Gotham got herself a new playmate when we were gone." The Joker jeers. "That wouldn't do, oh no no _no._" Alfred raises an eyebrow. "What do you suggest, then?"

The Joker laughs and Batman tenses. "I say we kill the voice." Batman's eyes darken and Gordon watches, hand on his hip where his gun used to hang. "No." Bruce rasps. And the Joker laughs so hard and slaps the table with his hand.

"T-thats what I said to-to those mobsters! A-**ha** ha _he ha ha_!" His shoulders shook and Bruce pats his back before noticing what he is doing and pulls his hand back.

"Shut it." Bruce sounds more amused than angered.

"I think I should go now." Gordon excused himself.

* * *

When they meet the next day Gordon is sporting a black eye from his wife, grinning cheek to cheek like an idiot. Alfred has managed to accept Bruce and Joker's relationship (barely.) And Batman is set to track down the 'voice.'

"There is no signal, dammit. Nothing to suggest that this person even exists."


End file.
